A welcome visit from that jolly guy

Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” may be the best-loved Yuletide movie, but certainly nipping at its heels is the delightful 1947 fantasy “Miracle on 34th Street.” Edmund Gwenn won the supporting actor Oscar for his enchanting turn as Kris Kringle, who gets a job as Macy’s Santa Claus and changes the lives of a cynical divorced store executive (Maureen O’Hara) and her young daughter (Natalie Wood). The film also received Oscars for best original story and screenplay.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gets in the holiday spirit by screening a newly restored 35-millimeter print of “Miracle” tonight at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. www.oscars.org

The American Cinematheque’s Aero Theater continues its tribute to actor Mickey Rourke with a screening Friday of his new drama, “The Wrestler,” for which he recently earned a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination. Rourke is scheduled to appear. “The Wrestler,” which opens next Wednesday, also sneaks Friday evening at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. www.aerotheatre.com; www.lacma.org.

Laemmle Theatres celebrates its 70th anniversary with the series “Laemmle Through the Decades: 1938-2008, 70 Years in 7 Days,” which begins Friday and continues through Dec. 18 at the Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles. Screening Friday is Marcel Carne’s 1945 French masterwork, “Children of Paradise.” On tap for Saturday is Federico Fellini’s 1954 Oscar-winner “La Strada,” with Francois Truffaut’s seminal 1962 romance “Jules and Jim” scheduled for Sunday. Bernardo Bertolucci’s acclaimed 1970 drama “The Conformist” arrives Monday; Ingmar Bergman’s Oscar-winning 1983 epic “Fanny & Alexander” will play at the Royal on Tuesday; and Pedro Almodovar’s 1988 dark comedy “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” is set for Wednesday. www.laemmle.com

UCLA’s James Bridges Theater hosts the first Taiwanese Film Festival this Friday through Sunday. The festival includes nine features and documentary films. Among the narrative features is “Cape No. 7,” the country’s submission for a foreign language film Oscar nomination, which is scheduled for Saturday evening. www.tufusa.org/news/news/ htm

Opening Friday for a week-long engagement at the Nuart is a new 35-millimeter print of Charlie Chaplin’s dark 1947 comedy “Monsieur Verdoux.” Chaplin eschews his beloved “Little Tramp” character to play a bank clerk who, upon losing his job, murders wealthy widows for their money. www.landmarktheaters.com

Rick Castro’s Fetish Film Night returns Friday to the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theater with “The Plushies and Furries” program, featuring a documentary, film clips, outtakes and furry arts and visuals.

Love him or hate him, director Uwe Boll is certainly not shy about taking on the critics -- even inviting them to the boxing ring after they panned his movie “BloodRayne.” Beginning Wednesday, his films will be highlighted at the Boll Film Fest, Los Angeles, at L.A.’s Downtown Independent Theater. The opening day program includes “Heart of America,” “Far Cry” and “In the Name of the King.” www.ugo.com

Life’s a banquet! The Egyptian’s Outfest Wednesday series presents its ninth annual screening of the 1958 comedy “Auntie Mame,” with Rosalind Russell as the fun-loving woman who becomes guardian to her young nephew. www.egyptiantheatre.com

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susan.king@latimes.com